Some belated thoughts on Dr. Tiller's murder

The murder of Dr. George Tiller has evoked a strong emotional response within me. First of all, I feel anger and outrage that anyone who is "pro-life" could murder in cold blood. I also feel such sorrow and sadness for this man's family, both biological and ecclesial. I cannot imagine the grief and trauma they could be experiencing now.

But I also feel wildly compelled to correct the malicious lies misinformation about late term terminations being propagated by the so-called "pro-lifers" who oppose such procedures, casting women who make such a "choice" as wanton harlots who cannot be burdened by a pesky little thing such as a living baby. But this is not truth. This is not reality. At least not the reality I know.

My reality involves holding the hands of grieving parents who have made agonizing decisions to terminated longed for pregnancies. My reality has been reaching into incubators and offered blessings/prayers/baptism to dying babies born with myriad fetal anomalies. My reality is comforting grieving husbands whose wives has just died due to complications from their pregnancies.

But my reality isn't what is being told. And my reality isn't what necessarily needs to be told. My reality is one step removed from the real stories of grief, anguish, and heartache.

Obviously, the protesters outside the Tiller's Kansas clinic have no idea the reality of the "choices" these patients make. How anyone can know the heartbreaking truth and still cast these women as sinners is beyond me. But then again, how anyone can call themselves "Christian" and "pro-life" and then murder a doctor in his church is also beyond me.

California Courts uphold Prop. 8

It's a tragic day for California, as today the state Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, which bans same sex marriage. Sadly, the Court upheld the ban.

However, I am reminded of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's words, "The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

I trust that justice will eventually prevail in California, just as it has in Massachusettes, Iowa, Maine and Vermont (and will soon happen in New York and New Hampshire). I believe that Californians will work together to overturn Prop. 8, and I hope this will happen in just a few years.

Justice will prevail. It always does.

April Fools

You know, these Canadians can't take a joke. Actually, they can take a joke, but only until noon. Apparently, if you play a prank after noon, you are the "April Fool" and they get to pinch you. I would have liked to have known this before 10am this morning. I was scrambling to get all of my pranks in by noon. And even had to call off a few.

Silly Canadians.